Bound Destinies Side Stories
by MiniJen
Summary: A little something for those of you who are readers of my Bound Destinies Trilogy and something for you to enjoy even if you're not! This will basically be a little collection of shorts and one-shots based around my trilogy, taking on a wide variety of topics, themes, genres and perspectives, with the purpose of adding depth to each story in the trilogy. More info inside!
1. Preface

_MiniJen Presents..._

**Bound Destinies Side Stories**

_**Author's Preface (Please read before continuing!)**_

_Alright, so since I find that I need to take a break from working on Blood and Spirit otherwise my sheer emotions that I develop while writing it will destroy me, I've decided to do something a bit strange… For those of you who don't know, I've been writing an LoZ trilogy of stories based upon Skyward Sword, Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess respectively, entitled the Bound Destines Trilogy. If you've found yourself here without reading at least one of the stories, I'd highly encourage you to go do so now so some of this will make sense. I've already finished book 2 in the Trilogy (Wisdom and Courage), and if you want to read it, you may find it here: s/8664013/1/Wisdom-and-Courage The first book, Blood and Spirit, is currently a little more than halfway through and you may find it here: s/9474719/1/Blood-and-Spirit The third and final book, Light and Shadow is, as of this moment, not written yet, but that's ok for right now. :D_

_So with the intro for the trilogy out of the way, what this basically is will be exactly what's written on the tin. A collection of side stories and one shots pertaining to the Bound Destinies Trilogy. What this includes will be a wide variety of different things in different styles and themes, mostly as a way to give myself a relaxed break between writing the actual trilogy and also a way for me to give more depth to parts of the stories. _

_To give you a general overview of what you might find here, there will be angst (isn't that pretty much all I write nowadays...?), romance, drama, tragedy, hurt/comfort, humor, fluff, mystery and a variety of all of the other genres under the sun, depending on how I'm feeling when I write them. Most of these side stories will only exist in one shots, some longer than others and some split up into two parts at the most depending on what they're about. The writing style will often be changed up, with both third person and first person entries for some variety. Some will be solely-emotion based, while others will be really only for the purpose of furthering the lore and others will be a mix. Some side stories will focus on what happened before each story, either a short while before or years before. Others will take place during their respective stories, as a way to see a certain character's point of view or in some cases, they'll be "What if?" scenarios. And still others will take place after each story, so please allow me to say now, BEWARE of the SPOILERS if you haven't read any of the trilogy yet!_

_Now since Blood and Spirit and Light and Shadow are not done yet, I will hold off on writing anything that is beyond what I've already written for the two of them. But I do already have a ton of ideas, so you can expect them to come rushing forth as they are furthered along!_

_And finally, to give you a preview of what stories I might want to tell… From Blood and Spirit I have the ideas of telling the story of Terminus and her hero, a few fluffy moments about Link and Zelda as kids, the story of Hylia and her 1__st__ hero, some more moments about Sheik and Veress as kids, a few 1__st__ person things from during the story and several "what if" scenarios which I can't elaborate on right now! From Wisdom and Courage, I could give a few glimpses at the Hylian Civil War (from before even Ocarina of Time), some more looks at Link and Zelda as kids/early teens, maybe a few things from Veran's point of view or a more in-death backstory for her, some fluffy things that could happen after the story, among other things. And maybe I could even give some lead in for Light and Shadow before I write it. Who knows?_

_So if any of this sounds good to you, then please follow, favorite and most of all REVIEW! And, if you leave me either a PM or a review with a request for a side story pertaining to the trilogy that you'd like to see me write, then please feel free to tell me! This is going to be a very loose project, so I may not always work on it frequently, but if I find myself with either an idea or in a jam, I'll most likely come to it and dabble a little. So enjoy and until next time!_


	2. A Mother's Love

_So for the first side story that I plan on posting, its going to deal with some back story for Wisdom and Courage, specifically the Hylian Civil War, which, according to the story was started by Veran, so she'll appear in here a little, causing chaos and whatnot. To set the groundworks for this, as I wll for each side story, this takes place seventeen years before Wisdom and Courage and will help to establish the backstory for its two main characters (aka Link and Zelda). There will be some overlapping with actual canonical things from Ocarina of Time towards the end, so yay! If I had to pick a genre for this one, I'd say its mostly tragedy, so if you're into that, then enjoy!_

* * *

_Wisdom and Courage: A Mother's Love_

The land of Hyrule was in chaos.

The skies above the once-prosperous land were painted black with a seemingly eternal night that spread to every inch of the kingdom, filling the hearts of all of its inhabitants with fear. Its lush earth was soaked red with the blood of those who had died in this raging war that had torn a rift between all people. And all because the greatest threat to beset the land in ages had come, vowing to stop at nothing until she claimed the golden power.

She called herself Veran. Where she came from, few knew and even fewer cared. All the people cared about was the fact that this black-hearted sorceress of shadows was turning all of the tribes against each other and inciting a bloody civil war. The extent of her magic was strong to be sure. It had brought about devastating fires, famines, and floods throughout the land, causing great hardship and turmoil. Yet despite the troubles that she had wrought upon the people of Hyrule in her lustful search for the Triforce, few knew of her presence in their land and how she had set this time of trouble into motion. But there were some who were wise as to the mastermind behind the tragedy the kingdom was facing. And they knew that if Hyrule was to ever be united again, Veran had to be stopped and sent back to where she came from.

* * *

The Sheikah were known for being a perceptive, if mysterious, group of people, but none of them could have expected this. Veran had descended upon their village like a sudden storm, vowing to destroy them all if they did not reveal to her the hiding places of the keys to the Sacred Realm. Such were secrets that the Sheikah knew and guarded well, and in this sacred duty, they bravely refused to relinquish this information to the evil sorceress, knowing it would lead to the downfall of the kingdom if she were to get her hands on the Triforce. In her fury, Veran set fire to Kakariko Village, the tribe's ancestral home, but not before going through the entire village and using her destructive power to slaughter every last member of the Sheikah race.

Save for one.

Hiding in the dark shadows of the night, Impa raced towards Hyrule Castle, not even bothering to look behind her as her home burned to ashes and her people were killed. She had a responsibility to take care of, one that was much too important to fail. The middle-aged Sheikah woman knew well that if Veran were to discover her and kill her, all would be lost. And so all she had to do was avoid getting caught. Easier said than done.

The wooden drawbridge to Castle Town had been burned to a crisp, no doubt by Veran. Impa made easy work of the moat that stood between Hyrule Field and the city, and even as she entered into the marketplace, she kept out of sight, only taking a brief moment to glance at the troops of elite Hylian Knights preparing to face the sorceress of shadows on the battlefield in just a few hours. Based on that, Impa knew that she didn't have much time left; she had to hurry to the castle before it was too late to save them.

Still keeping to the shadows, the Sheikah woman evaded the legion of guards surrounding the castle, in the hopes of protecting it from Veran if she came near. Impa knew that it wouldn't do any good though; there were none who were safe from the sorceress's tyranny, not even the royal family itself, which was exactly why Impa had come in the first place.

The king of Hyrule himself stood at the front gate of the castle, much to the disagreement of his bodyguards, who found it much too dangerous for him to be out in the open like this. But the king paid their oppositions little mind, especially as a small smile of relief crossed his face when he saw Impa making her approach.

"It is good to see that you have made it," the king nodded to the Sheikah woman as she bowed in respect to him. "But I have received reports that your village and your people are not faring well on this night. I have tried to send some of your knights there, but since Kakariko is so closed off and out of the way, it's not easy to get to."

Impa nodded, push away any and all grief for her tribe. There would be time to mourn them later. "Where is the queen?" she asked with appropriate urgency.

"She is inside," the king said with a nervous frown. "They're both inside…"

"Both?" Impa raised an eyebrow at him. "You mean..?"

"Yes…" the king said solemnly. "The princess was born just this morning."

"And what a miserable world for her to be born into," the Sheikah woman scoffed with contempt for Veran. "Do not worry. I shall escort both of them to safety. As long as I stand, they will not be caught up in this violence."

"Thank you, Impa," the king said with gratitude as he ordered his men to open the castle gates up just long enough for the Sheikah woman to get inside. With one final exchange of nods, the king and Impa parted ways; his highness heading into the entryway of the castle to face this threat head on and the Sheikah heading towards the upper living quarters to preserve the rest of the royal family if need be.

Before she even opened the door to the queen's bedroom, Impa could hear the sounds of a baby crying. She knew the infant would make their flight much more difficult, but the newborn princess had to escape from this terror as well, perhaps more than anyone else. Without further hesitation, the Sheikah woman entered into the room to find the queen holding her weeping daughter in one hand, and the royal family's treasure, the Ocarina of Time, in the other. The middle-aged newly made mother looked frazzled and nervous, though it only slightly marred her well known beauty.

"Impa…" the queen smiled with relief upon seeing the Sheikah enter the room. "I'm so glad you're here."

"Are you ready to depart, your highness?" Impa asked, glancing down the hallways to make sure they were clear.

The queen nodded, holding both the infant and the ocarina closer to her chest. "Yes," she said solemnly, putting away her clear fear of the situation for a moment. "I am ready to protect both of my treasures."

Impa gave her a small, reassuring smile as she led the way out of the room, taking note of how much the mother already loved her little daughter. "Then follow me," she said with an air of urgency. "We must hurry down to the basement. You both can take up shelter in the light chamber. She won't find you there."

The queen nodded her assent once more as she followed Impa's quick pace down the hall. Much to their dismay, the infant princess continued to cry the whole way. They both already knew that Veran's minions of darkness could have easily infiltrated the castle by now to scout ahead for their leader or to slaughter innocents in her place. And so, they both hurried with all due speed down several flights of stairs, hoping that the child wouldn't give them away.

For the most part, they had managed to remain unseen, even though the baby had not stopped crying since. No matter how many times the queen tried to silence her, she would not settle down for anything. And it was the infant's wails that ultimately gave them away. For as they made their way down the final hallway that lead to the stairs that lead to the safety of the basement, they were spotted by one of Veran's dark soldiers, a creature bearing semblance to one of the sword-wielding knights of Hyrule. The moment the baby's screams reached its ears, it began to pursue the Sheikah woman and the queen. It was faster than both of them, and they both knew that one of them, if now both would certainly be caught and killed. And so, as they were running, the queen breathlessly called out to Impa.

"Impa!" she shouted, fear and dread clear in her voice as she held out the bundle in her arms to the Sheikah woman. "Take the baby and the Ocarina of Time!"

"Your majesty, no!" Impa yelled back, knowing what the queen was planning and refusing to allow it. She stopped dead in her tracks, even though the dark soldier was gaining on them. "I will not let you die."

"And I will not let my baby die," the queen said with resolve as she also stopped and turned to face the approaching soldier. "After all, a mother's duty is to her child and a queen's duty is to her people." With a small, sad smile, she firmly placed her screaming child and the ocarina into Impa's arms and before the Sheikah leader could do anything to stop her, she ran forward towards the dark soldier, completely unarmed. With a sharp gasp of fear, Impa drew her knife with her free hand and let it fly towards the soldier.

The blade hit its mark just seconds too late. For as it embedded itself into the soldier's head, the dark creature's own deadly blade slashed across the queen's chest, knocking her to the ground. Impa's eyes widened in horror as the dark soldier vanished and the queen collapsed, a cry of pain escaping from her lips.

"Your majesty!" the Sheikah woman hurried over to the gravely injured queen, who was somehow still conscious, despite the fact that her chest was bleeding profusely. Impa helped her into a sitting position against the wall, though the queen was breathing heavily the entire time. "What were you thinking?!" Impa asked the queen a little too harshly, the grief in her voice starting to show. The Sheikah woman knew that the queen, who had not only been her charge to protect, but also one of her closest friends, was not going to make it.

"I… I told you…" the queen said in between labored breaths as a small smile crossed her face. "It was my duty to protect… my daughter… and my friend…"

"Oh your majesty…" Impa said softly, tears of sadness threatening to fall from her eyes as she took the queen's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Impa…" the queen said softly. "My… my baby… please… I want to hold her… one last time…"

Impa only nodded as she handed the child off to her mother and as she did so, the infant finally stopped crying. The queen held her little one in a soft, warm embrace, smiling sadly at her the entire time as she hummed a quiet lullaby to her. Impa looked down into the baby's little face and could tell that she was going to take after her lovely mother when she was older. She already had thick, golden blonde locks of hair and dark azure eyes. Her tiny cheeks were rosy and her little lips were full, soft and pink. The child was very beautiful already, perfectly formed and angelic-looking as she listened to her dying mother's last song.

"Impa…?" the queen said in a voice that was little more as a whisper, her fading gaze not looking away from her baby's face. "P-please… Protect my daughter… Keep her safe… Watch over her in my place… and care for her… as if she were your own… Will you do this for me?"

"Of course," the Sheikah woman said sincerely. "I promise. I always will. I will guard her with my life if I must."

The queen's small smile grew warmer and more contented. She was almost gone by now, but she still had enough energy to nod her gratitude to Impa before looking to her newborn baby one last time. "I… I know you will grow to be strong and beautiful my love…" she whispered to the infant, who was being lulled to sleep by her gentle voice. "But most of all… I pray that the goddesses bless you… with wisdom… and with love… And know… that even in the hardest times… so long as there is… light to banish darkness… it can never… extinguish hope… Goodbye my child… Sleep softly…" the queen's soft voice started to fade away into nothingness as she uttered her last words to the peacefully sleeping princess. "I love you… My… little… Zelda…"

* * *

The detrimental battle against Veran had been waged within the walls of Castle Town. After wiping out Kakariko Village, the sorceress had descended upon the capital city of Hyrule and had begun unleashing her fiery destruction upon the town. Luckily, most of the civilians had fled to safer parts, anticipating the onslaught, but the noble and honorable knights of Hyrule had all stood by to defend their home and royal family from this wicked woman. Courageously deciding to stand by the valiant band of warriors, the families of the knights had opted to stay within the city walls as well to support them and aid them if need be.

However, this turned out to be a fatal mistake for most of them. Veran certainly did not discriminate against murdering as many knights as she could simply for her own perverse pleasure, as well as their loved ones. She poured her wrath upon the town, and though the knights fought with unflinching bravery, most of them fell to her great power.

In the midst of this destructive chaos, a young married couple hurried through the back alleys of the town, hoping to escape from this violence and bloodshed for one reason alone: the little baby boy that lay sleeping in the woman's arms. Their child was only less than a week old and the couple knew that they could not subject him to such a cruel death at the hands of such a great evil, ending his life before it even really even began. And so, the young knight led his wife and son through the maze of darkened, abandoned alleys, instructing her on what to do in a hushed voice.

"Now when you get out of town, the horse should be waiting for you near the gates," the knight said hurriedly. "Head to the south. The safest place in Hyrule at the moment is the forest."

"The forest?" the woman asked uneasily, knowing the unsavory rumors and legends told about the southern forests of Hyrule. "But isn't that where…?"

"Yes, I know," the knight said, also understanding the potential dangers of going into the forbidden forest. "But we have to trust that the spirits of the forest will give us refuge there, at least until this war ends and we can return. We're almost to the gates. Whatever you do, don't let them catch either of you."

"But what about you?" the woman asked, worriedly looking into her husband's face.

The man reached over to caress his wife's face lovingly as he gave her a small smile of confidence. "I must stay here and fight to defend the honor and glory of our fair Hyrule," he said with brave resolve. "But do not fret, my love. The three of us will be safe and together again soon. I promise."

The woman, though terrified of what could happen to her little family, nodded before letting her husband draw her into a final, passionate kiss, one that could be their very last for all they knew. As the couple parted, the knight held his lady's gaze for a long moment, whispering his last message of encouragement to her. "Be brave, my love…" he said tenderly. "And know that I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered back as a stray tear streamed down her cheek. "I will be brave, no matter what happens. For both of us." She gave a small nod to the baby in her arms, indicating that she was referring to him.

"And you, my son," the knight said, looking down with pride into the little face of the still-sleeping child. "May the goddesses bless you with great courage and my you also bring glory and honor to Hyrule someday."

Before the couple could say another word, an explosion suddenly rocked the eastern side of Castle Town, honing in conspicuously close to the Temple of Time. Without hesitation, the knight drew his sword, preparing to fight with his last few remaining brethren, but not before looking at his frightened wife one final time. "We shall meet again soon. I know it!"

"Yes!" the woman called out after him as she took the baby and started to head off in the opposite direction, towards the town gates and safety. "We will! I love you!"

She was barely able to catch his last "I love you too" as he was swept up in the already raging battle that the remnant knights were waging against Veran's dark army within the town square. As the woman lost sight of her husband in the midst of the turmoil, she hurried off towards the gates, managing to remain unseen by hiding in the ruins of collapsed buildings and homes. Since the majority of the dark soldiers were encompassed in the battle, she was able to make it to the gates without being detected.

However, just as she was about to leave the burning, warring town and escape into the open fields, she turned to glance behind her once last time and witnessed a sight that tore her heart asunder. For just as she was turning around, she saw her beloved husband, fighting a dark soldier bravely only a few feet away. The knight managed to defeat the wicked thing, but just as he struck it down, he was hit by an arrow from behind. The cheap shot pierced him right through his armor, and struck his heart. The life had faded from the knight's eyes before he could even hit the ground, and the woman knew that there would be no saving him.

Unable to contain her grief, the woman let out a scream of anguish upon seeing her dear husband die before her very eyes, a scream that was so loud and ragged that it managed to wake her slumbering son up. The infant, though not understanding what was going on, joined his distraught mother in crying loudly. And unfortunately, their cries were what gave them away to the enemies, particularly the sorceress of shadows herself, who had been watching her soldiers with wicked delight as they committed their cruel slaughter from the center of the square. Veran's lips curled into a cruel grin when the cries of the mother and child reached her ears, and she commanded her soldiers to halt before they could attack the woman. She wanted to take full advantage of this moment, for she knew she was going to enjoy this. With slow, dramatic steps, the sorceress started to walk towards the frightened, grieving woman, whose eyes had not moved away from her husband's body from the moment he fell. She only looked away when she saw the sorceress of shadows towering over her a few feet away. Letting out a gasp of terror, the woman backed away slowly, before noticing that the drawbridge connecting the field and the town had been destroyed. She was trapped.

"And what do we have here, hm?" Veran said coldly, a devilish grin on her dark lips. "A wife of one of the knights? Or perhaps I should say _widow_…" The sorceress gave a snide, cruel laugh as she looked down at the bundle in the woman's arms. Before the lady, who was frozen in fear at the menacing woman before her, could even try to stop her, Veran reached down and stole the child out of her grasp, cradling him with one arm and pulling out a small dagger with the other.

"No!" the woman screamed, clawing at the sorceress in a desperate attempt to rescue her baby before it was too late.

"Oh, what a precious little boy you have here," Veran said with mock sweetness she held the knife close to the crying baby. "What a shame. I'm sure he would have grown up to be quite handsome someday…" As Veran laughed callously once more, the woman remembered the words that her husband had told her mere moments ago: _Be brave_. She knew that she could not do much, but at the very least, she could save her innocent son from death at the hands of this witch. And so, summoning every last shred of courage she had, the woman lunged forward and wrapped her arms around her baby tightly, ripping him out of the sorceress's deadly grasp and saving his life. Veran screamed in fury as the woman reclaimed her child and, in a moment of sheer impulse and desperation, the woman leaped into the moat behind her, knowing it was the only thing she could do to escape the sorceress.

"Get them!" Veran commanded her surrounding soldiers as the woman waded in the chest deep water, hurrying to the other side as quickly as she could without getting her baby wet. The woman was just starting to pull herself up out of the water and onto the field when one of the enemy arrows managed to strike her leg and buried itself deep. The woman let out a cry of pain, but she was relieved that it had not hit her baby, who was still crying as rain started to fall from the dark skies above. Trying not to put too much pressure on her injured leg, the woman began to run away from the burning town, narrowly avoiding the next round of arrows that Veran's soldiers fired off at her. True to her husband's word, their family horse was waiting in the field not too far away from the town and so the woman quickly mounted herself upon it, though with some difficulty since her leg was bleeding profusely, already making her weak and light headed. But she could not give up now. All she had left to do was make it to the safety of the forest. It was the only hope she had left to give her son.

As the woman commanded the horse into a gallop across the vast fields, the torrential rains soaking both her and her baby to the bone, Veran called her archers to a stop and watched as the widowed woman rode out of sight. "Let them go. They won't make it far," the sorceress said darkly, turning back to the carnage that was still happening within the town walls. "After all, how long can they possibly hope to survive?"

* * *

The woman's vision was starting to grow black around the edges as the lush forests of Hyrule finally came into view. Over the past several hours of traveling, her leg had bleed out a great deal and only her sheer adrenaline alone was keeping her conscious. Her infant had finally settled down into a slumber once more, for which she was grateful as the horse plowed through the charred fields at a hurried pace. But all the same, the woman wasn't sure how much longer she'd be able to survive with her grave injury, which was steadily getting worse with each passing minute. She could only hope that her and her son would find shelter and refuge within the mysterious realms of the forest, a place in which few Hylians had ever dared to enter in.

Upon reaching the fabled gateway to the southern woods, the woman slipped off the horse clumsily, before setting it loose to be free across the fields of Hyrule, knowing she wouldn't need it any more. Though she could barely walk, she began to limp into the seclusion of the darkened woods, holding her son close as she struggled to find a hiding place within the forest's grasp. It was becoming increasingly obvious to the woman that, in all her pain and weakness, would not make it much further. She had accepted the fact that she was about to join her husband in death. But if she could do nothing else, then she had to make sure that her innocent son would live on in safety and be watched over and cared for as he grew. She could not leave her newborn baby in this cold world all alone.

The woman, though becoming less aware of her surroundings with each second, found that she had wandered into some type of small village, tucked away within the depths of the forest. Much to her dismay though, the place seemed to be completely abandoned. Little did she know though, that several sets of eyes were watching her as she slowly inched her way closer to the guardian spirit of the forest. Her mind was in a misty, clouded haze as she wandered into a clearing that contained only one lone, giant tree. As she approached the tree, she her legs finally gave way, no longer able to support her weight and she fell to the ground, though she still had the good sense about her to make sure that her son was not hurt in the fall. The child, still bundled up and sleeping peacefully, rolled out of her arms and came to rest before the large tree. The woman let out a tearful sigh as she gazed upon her baby tiredly, mourning the fact that she was unable to find someone to protect him and raise him in her stead.

Her hope began to vanish away completely as she held out a shaking hand to stroke her baby's face gently. Veran had said it right; he certainly was a precious child. His eyes, though currently closed, were a calming shade of sky blue, a color that his mother knew well from seeing them in her husband's own eyes. His hair was already golden blonde, a trait he had received from his mother. The woman was certain that he would have indeed grown up to be handsome and strong, if he had gotten the chance to live that long. But this war had already taken the lives of so many. What made her think that her and her son would be any different? What made her think that either of them would be able to escape the destructive fires of this endless war at all?

The woman closed her eyes, ready to accept death, until she heard a voice, one that almost seemed unreal, calling out to her from not too far away. "Thou should not have come to this sacred place," the voice said. "Thy kind is not welcome here."

The woman struggled to lift her head to look around to see who was addressing her. "W-who's there?" she called out as loud as she was able to.

"I am the guardian spirit of this forest," the unseen voice said. "I am known as the Deku Tree."

The woman gasped, remembering legends that she had heard of the honored guardian spirit of the forest. She inclined her head in respect to the large tree in front of her before speaking up. "O Great Deku Tree… I… I am sorry… that I have… entered into your… forest without… permission… But… Please… I came to find… a place of refuge for… for my young son… I do not ask… that you allow me… to stay within these woods… But please… please give him shelter… and protection from… the war within the… outside world… This place… It is his last hope…"

The Deku Tree was silent for a long moment and during that time, the woman began to fear that the guardian spirit would order her to take her infant son back into the burning world beyond the forest, where he would certainly die. But much to her amazement and relief, the Deku Tree replied its assent. "Thou art a mother who doth care much for her child to carrying him across the vast fields of Hyrule in such dark time as these," the guardian of the forest said solemnly. "Thine courage and sacrifice to protect this innocent life shall not go in vain. The infant shall be permitted to take refuge within these woods, where he shalt be protected and raised in safety among the children of the forest, the Kokiri."

The mother smiled in joy upon hearing this, glad that her son would live on under the protection of the guardian of the forest. "T-thank you…" she whispered contentedly, hope filling her as she entrusted her baby to the care the Deku Tree was going to give him. She was growing ever weaker with each passing second. Death was tugging on her, but she resisted it just long enough to hear the Deku Tree's final statement to her.

"Know that thy son is a child of destiny," the Deku Tree said. "His fate shall one day affect the entire world. For he shall save this land of Hyrule from darkness, and shall strive to protect it throughout his entire life. He shall grow strong and will live an honorable life, known by all for his great courage. And even after his time in this world is over, he shall be known throughout this land's history as a great hero, his story told to each new generation as the years pass. He shall be known as the Hero of Time…"

A faint smile crossed the mother's lips when she heard of her baby's grand destiny. "H-Hero of Time…" she whispered almost inaudibly as she slipped her hand away from the child's face. "M-my little… hero…" she closed her eyes and let out a small contended sigh. Even if her son was destined for greatness in the future, for this one final moment, he was her precious little baby and nothing more. "My son…" she whispered as death started to take her away from her son so she could be with her husband once more. "The… goddesses… will bless you with… courage… May your… life… be filled with… joy… and love… Goodbye… my son… Sleep soundly… I love you… Link…"

* * *

**Well that was kinda sad to write! But anyway, I thought it was an interesting exercise, one that I wanted to do to flesh out the backstory of Wisdom and Courage some more! I don't know what's coming around the bend next, since this is kinda loose and laid back, so i guess until then, leave me some follows, favorites and most of all REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS! Until next time!**


	3. Not Alone

_So I've decided that the best way to present the details of each separate chapter of this story would be easier if I followed a strict format, so you can go into each story knowing what you're going to read, so..._

_Setting: Immediately after chapter 16 of Blood and Spirit_

_POV: written in Sheik's perspective (present tense)_

_Characters: Sheik, Link_

_Pairing: One-sided SheikXLink_

_Genres: angst, romance, hurt/comfort, friendship_

_Brief Description: A look into Sheik's perspective and her thoughts on the hero that she has recently grown to love. Not a whole lot of story, mostly just character building, so enjoy!_

* * *

_Blood and Spirit: Not Alone_

Why does everyone look so much younger when they're asleep?

I let out a small sigh as I draw my knees up to my chest and glance down at his peacefully sleeping face again, studying him like he's some kind of work of art. And in my eyes, he might as well be. The Sheikah tribe is not known for producing anything exquisitely beautiful or handsome. Sure, my people might be firm and strong from years of intensive physical training, but most of us are about as plain as it comes. Even though vanity is frowned upon by the Sheikah, I've been told more than a few times by some of the older women in our tribe that I'm pretty, but I've never thought much of it. Until now.

I wonder if he thinks I'm pretty, or beautiful, or attractive, or any of those other words that basically mean the same thing. Normally, I find it easy to read people and what they think of me, but it's hard to tell with him. On a basic level it would be easy to call us friends, but so what? Recently, I haven't been doing so well when it comes to friends. I mean, how many other people's former best friends start a massive strike against the people they're supposed to protect, simply out of anger and spite?

He lets out a slow, deep breath in his sleep and it draws me back to my former train of thought. While my people may not have an abundance of good looks, I'm starting to think that his people might. How else could they create someone as handsome as him? During the day, I do my best to make sure that he doesn't catch me staring at him, but at night, when he's fast asleep, I can stare all I want.

I quietly edge closer to him, even though I'm already sitting at his side. When I volunteered to take first watch, I started off by having my back turned to him but I kept glancing back with every little sound or movement he'd make, silently worrying for him in light of everything that just happened a few hours ago. I still feel overwhelmingly guilty for making him go through that stupid fear-blocking exercise. I've never seen anyone do it without screaming or breaking down, but for some reason, I thought that he wouldn't. He's cut from a different cloth than most, a stronger one, much stronger than the one I'm from. But even so, everyone has fears and sometimes, you can't merely conquer them. Sometimes, you just have to face whatever you're terrified of and try to bypass them for just a moment to get things done, even if they'll never truly leave you in the long run.

I bite my lip and twist the tip of my long braid between two fingers, something I normally do when I'm nervous. I try my hardest to forget the anxiety I heard in his voice right after the exercise, the shine of the fresh tears staining his face, even though he tried to hide them from me. I remember seeing him shed a single, compulsory tear last night, but that was for the goddess, not for himself, like those tears had been. Yet I still don't see them as a sign of weakness. On the outside, he may boast courage and fortitude, but in many ways, he's just like me: struggling to make it through every day with a head full of terror and no way to escape it, but remaining strong through it nonetheless.

But I think I understand his position even more because, somehow, I saw the fear that he's trying so hard to overcome with my own eyes. Earlier, when I was using my magic to give him the shadow-piercing vision of the Sheikahs, the force that's trying to corrupt and destroy him from the inside out appeared to me, beckoning me into the same darkness that he's falling into. And in those few moments, I had absolutely no control over my own thoughts and movements. It was like that demon could see through every part of me, all the way to my soul. In all my life, I had never felt more violated. And he has to put up with that dark presence pervading his innermost thoughts and feelings every moment of everyday, never truly leaving him alone no matter how hard he tries to suppress it. I don't know how he deals with it without losing his sanity completely. It must be that "unbreakable spirit" that he supposedly has.

I force my mind to turn away from these chilling thoughts and focus on the present once more, or rather, the hero sleeping mere inches away from me. He's lying on his side facing me, so I'm able to admire him by the dying light of the fading fire in front of both of us. One thing I've noticed about people in general is that when their asleep, they almost always look somewhat younger, though for whatever reason I have no idea. But in slumber, he somehow manages to look years younger and years older all at once. The youthfulness and innocence in his face are natural, and have most likely always been present in him. Part of me wonders what he was like before he was the chosen hero, when he was simply a normal boy growing up in the unknown city in the sky. But another part of me knows that I'll never find out; the call of destiny changes people forever, either making them stronger or ruining them completely. He has the weariness and exhaustion counteracting with his youthfulness and innocence to show for that, making him look worn out, as if he has been in an endless battle for years and years on end.

The diminishing glow of the flames cast both spots of light and deep shadows on his face, making him look mysterious and distant. Already in his young life he's had to fight in a war against the greatest evil that had ever plagued the surface until now, and from what I heard, he barely won in his battle against the demon king. But now, he's fighting a war that no one can ever really understand the true nature of. Dealing with Veress and the Interlopers is one thing, and it's a burden that I share with him, as does the goddess and the sword spirit, but it's plain to see that corruption haunting him is another matter entirely. I doubt any of us will ever be able to fully comprehend the darkness and terror filling his mind and body, wanting to claim him as its own, even if I did come about as close as I could to understanding it earlier this evening. What I don't understand is why him, of all people on the goddesses' green earth and blue skies, his to endure such suffering. All he's ever done is stand to protect the goddess and the surface and even now that he has once and is willing to do whatever it takes to do it again, there's such a high chance that he won't be able to save even himself from total corruption in the end. It hardly seems fair and I'm convinced that it's not. The day the world loses him, it will be losing someone of immeasurable courage, kindness and strength and people like that don't appear in the world that often.

I shake my head in pity for him. I'd never wish what he's going through upon anyone and yet he doesn't even seem that bothered with the fact that he knows he's basically doomed and can't do anything to stop his fate. If I were in his position, I'd be frantic and desperate to do anything to save myself and only myself. But all he's worried about is freeing the goddess from the Interlopers' clutches and for the life of me I can't understand why he's hardly putting a second thought into his own condition. But maybe it's something that I'm just not meant to understand yet. I'm finding that with each new discovery I make about him, he's becoming more and more curious to me. And for some reason, I find that makes him even more attractive.

I finally let a small smile cross my lips as I leave those thoughts behind and listen to the sound of his relaxed breathing. It doesn't go away as I start to examine his face once more, admiring his handsome features longingly. With the lightest touch I can manage, I use my fingertips to brush a few locks of his hair, which is of a dark honey color in some places and snowy white in others, aside, so I can better make out the unnatural blue design cresting at the top of his forehead. Yesterday when I first pointed it out to him, it was barely visible, but now it's quite plain to see, as are the set of double red markings on his cheeks. They look like they could be tattooed onto his face, much like the tattoos of the Sheikah teardrop and lashes that I bear on my own face as tribal markings, but we both know the ominous meaning behind the strange designs of his face. The corruption that is dragging him down on the inside has branded itself upon both his hair and shin, showing everyone he encounters that even the legendary hero of the goddess can be destroyed by something.

But even despite the physical signs of corruption he bears, they do absolutely nothing to mar his good looks. If anything, they make him look… fiercer, I'd say, which I can't say is a bad quality. His features are already sharp and handsome to begin with, but those markings seem to intensify them somehow. I could never tell him that to his face though, just like I could never tell him just how much his newly-crimson eyes enticed me earlier. Oh goddesses, his eyes… I've never seen eyes like his before, so focused, so sharp, so determined, so… hopeful. Innocent and bright yet hardened and mysterious at the same time. When I first met him, they had been a light shade of sky blue, a color I associate with freedom and life. Now, they are bright crimson, yet unlike any shade I've ever seen among my people, piercing and alluring at the same time. I'm having a hard time deciding what color I love more.

I trace my finger along the red lines on his cheek, letting out a small contented sigh as I do so. I've never felt this way about anyone before. It is true that I've felt love before: a loyal, dedicated love for my people, a sisterly love of friendship I used to have for Veress before she betrayed me and our entire tribe, an appreciated love of respect for Impa. But I've never felt this kind of love before. This love runs deep through every fiber of my being, filling me with a dangerous warmth that I crave more than air or anything else for that matter. This love makes my heart run haywire, faster than it's ever beaten before, even in the heat of an intense battle. This love is one of passionate desire and longing for something that I'm not sure I will ever get to have.

I know that I shouldn't feel this way. My people are not supposed to feel this way, ever. It's against the ancient standards of our tribe. But just because we're not supposed to fall in love, doesn't mean that we don't. We're still human after all. Love is a natural thing, and perhaps my people have been wrong about it all these years. It's a beautiful feeling, one that drives a person to help and protect those whom they feel it for. It may just be the strongest motivation for standing up and fighting one could have. But it doesn't matter how I view love in my own perspective. I'm the leader of the Sheikah tribe, I have a standard to uphold amongst them as the one our youth should all aspire to be like and follow after. If they were to see me breaking one of the customs of our tribe like this… I can't even imagine what they'd think.

But… I _want_ him. I want him _so _badly, that it almost _hurts _to think about it. And when I put aside my role as the matriarch of my people and my duty to serve the goddess and think of nothing else but him, I realize that, after years of uncertainty and hesitation, I've finally found something that my heart wants and needs more than anything else. When I'm with him, when I'm merely _thinking _of him, my heart soars and I feel like I'm flying high above the skies where the humans dwell. I want to be held in his strong, sure arms. I want him to whisper sweet nothings to me, as shallow as that sounds. But most of all, I want our lips to meet in a moment of sheer passion and romance, letting the world fall away until only the two of us remain.

I wrap my arms around myself and close my eyes, imaging all of these things in complete and utter bliss. But after a moment of this, my thoughts and desires suddenly shatter in a million pieces all around me. I open my eyes and stare ahead into the vast fields before us, my smile turns into a look of sheer grief as I realize that, no matter how much a dream for these things to happen, they never will and never could. Because as much as I love him, I'm almost certain that he doesn't feel that same way about me. And why would he? He's only known me for a few days, and for the most part, I've come off as little more than cold and condescending. Sure he took all of my usual mannerisms in stride, joking along with me playfully and never seeming to get too irritated with me for my ways, but I know he only sees me as a friend and ally and little more. But even despite that, I know that he could never come to love me because I have a strong feeling that he's already enamored with another. And I know that I could never compare to her in a million years. I'd never even hope to try. After all, how do you compete for the affections of the goddess's chosen hero against the very goddess you're both trying to protect?

I'm suddenly drawn out of my train of thought when he awakens with a start, bolting upright into a sitting position faster than I can think, his vermilion eyes wide and fearful and his breathing tense and broken.

"What?! What is it?" I ask him in alarm, grabbing his arm and staring into his eyes, which are unusually distant and unfocused, as if he's still trapped in whatever dream, or nightmare rather, he was just in. I can tell he's still in a mindless panic from it, so I place my other hand on his shoulder to help steady him, noticing the nervous shiver running through his entire body. Whatever nightmare he was having, it must have been a very bad one. "Link," I say with both firmness and gentleness in my tone, trying to ease him out of the terror. "What's wrong? What happened?"

He's silent for a moment, but I think he heard me as he takes in a deep, yet uneven breath, placing his hand against his head as he tries to push whatever he saw away. "Nightmare…" he mutters somewhat incoherently, indicating that he's slightly still out of it. He shakes his head, trying to wake himself up so I can understand him better, but it doesn't really work, as his next words are still small and slurred. "I… I'm fine…"

I bite my lip, knowing that we can't just leave it at that. So I press him again, hardening my grip on his shoulder to help calm him down. "Link," I say steadily, commanding eye contact with him. "What happened?"

He must pick up on the insistence in my voice, because he closes his eyes and hangs his head, revisiting whatever night terror he was just faced with. "I… I was… c-corrupted and… I… I couldn't s-stop it…" he says somewhat hesitantly, the horror of the memory still apparent in his crimson eyes. "And…and I… I…"

His words trail off into despair as he holds his head in his hands, trying to chase it away once more. I know that he clearly doesn't want to talk about it anymore, but I persist anyway, knowing that, much like fear, the only way to get rid of a nightmare is to let it go. "You what?" I ask softly.

"Sheik…" he moans in protest, his voice rife with grief, fear and exhaustion. "Please… Don't make me…"

"Link," I say firmly, knowing that he must be hating me right now for making him relive the pain. "What did you do?"

He sighs in relent and looks away from me, speaking so quietly I can barely catch onto his words. "I… I killed Zelda…" he says with so much regret and shame in his voice that it takes everything I have to keep myself from drawing him into a comforting embrace. I understand well the significance of how much such a dark vision could hurt him on such a deep, emotional level. He views that girl's safety as his own, personal responsibility, and if he were to do anything to bring about her end, it would no doubt be the end of him as well.

It takes me a moment or two to see the involuntary tears start to stream down his face, shining in the glow of the crescent moon. My heart moves with pity for him, but all I can do is sit by him in silence and let him process his emotions, his sadness, his regret, his guilt, his fear, his pain, his anxiety, in the only way he can. After all, even heroes have the right to cry, especially those who have been through as much as he has. If anyone other than me were to be watching him right now, they'd say that he's finally been broken by the terror raging on inside of him, worthless and pathetic and permanently scarred. But I would never say that in a million years. He's anything but broken, or worthless, or pathetic. All of his pain and hardships have made him stronger than most could ever know. And that strength is one of the very reasons why my heart also cries out in love for him.

I place my arm around his shoulder, ignoring the rush of blood that flows to my cheeks as I feel his muscles finally start to relax and his breathing finally start to slow. "It's alright," I whisper consolingly to him, noticing that the sounds of his light sobs have faded away. "You're going to be fine."

"You don't know that," he says bitterly as he wipes away a few of his tears.

I frown because he's right. I don't know that. I have no idea whether or not he's going to make it through any of this and that thought brings fear to my own heart as well, but I know he needs encouragement more than anything else right now. "Well, you're fine for the moment," I say with a small, warm smile. "Isn't that enough?"

He takes what seems like ages to give me an answer, but when he finally does, it comes in the form of a small, somewhat uncertain nod. It's not good enough for me however, so I become insistent with him once more. "I said, isn't that enough?"

"Yes," he says, his voice much more certain and firm than it had been moments ago. When he looks at me again, his eyes are dry from any tears, as if he had never cried at all. And instead of horror and fright, I see determination and bravery in them, the very qualities that I admire about him the most. "It's enough."

I smile, satisfied that he has recovered from his ordeal as much as he can at the moment. I'm about to tell him to go back to sleep when he offers to take my place keeping watch over our makeshift camp. I can tell from the weary look on his face that the emotional strain that he's just been through has worn him out, so I shake my head.

"No," I say, finally slipping my arm off his shoulder, even though I secretly don't want to. "I'm fine. I'm not really tired at all. You, on the other hand, look exhausted. Go back to sleep."

"But Sheik, you've been up for hours," he protests stubbornly, just as he always does. "Don't you want to get a little sleep?"

"I told you, I'm not tired," I say, crossing my arms as I return to my relaxed position. "Lie back down and go to sleep. I'll wake you up in a little while, when I start getting sleepy."

He's about to argue once more, but before he can, he yawns tiredly, shattering any arguments he was about to bring up. I grin triumphantly as he simply lies back down on the ground again, sleep already starting to claim him. "Good night, Sheik…" he mutters as he closes his eyes. "And thanks…"

I let out a small chuckle as glance down at the contented, peaceful expression on his face as he falls into complete slumber once more. It's one of those moments that he looks so young, so innocent and so carefree. How I wish he really could be like that, even if I know he won't really ever see true peace again. "Good night," I whisper with a small smile, as I absentmindedly brush aside a few locks of his hair once more. "And you're welcome…"

I may never get the hidden love that I harbor for him in return, but at this moment, it doesn't matter. He may lose himself completely any day now to that corruption pressing upon him, but at this moment, it doesn't matter. He may love the goddess much more than he could ever possibly love me, but at this moment, it doesn't matter. All that matters now is that in the face of all of the obstacles that stand before us, neither of us have to stand alone against them. And so, with a small smile, I lean over and whisper something in his ear that I hope he'll hear in the realm of his dreams. "You're not alone now…" I say softly, reminding us both of that comforting fact. "And you never have to be again." And though that may be a small spring of hope, for me, it's enough.

* * *

**So, what did you all think? I have to say that this was immensely fun to write, mostly because it was a ton of fun to get inside Sheik's head and write in her voice. I LOVE first person writing, but since I can't tell the main narratives of the Bound Destinies trilogy in any one perspective because there's so much going on, I've decided to play with it here instead. So if you have any perspectives you want me to visit, or any scenarios you wanna see based on the trilogy, leave a REVIEW or PM me! Until next time!**


	4. War on the Inside

_Alright__, so this one takes place after Wisdom and Courage, so if you haven't read it yet SPOILERS!_

_Setting: After the last chapter of Wisdom and Courage, but before the Epilogue_

_POV: First person present tense from Zelda's POV (cause I wanted to do more first person_

_Characters: Zelda, Link_

_Pairings: LinkXZelda_

_Genres: Romance, hurt/comfort, angst, a TON of fluff_

_Brief Description: In the aftermath of their battle against Veran, Link and Zelda confide in each other about all of the horror they've been through. Its mostly just fluff and cutesy stuff, but there is a few moments that are angsty and hinting at PTSD, which I wanted to practice writing now (hint hint for stuff that's about to come up in Blood and Spirit) :D_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

_Wisdom and Courage: War on the Inside_

"How long will you be gone for?" I ask, hating to even think that we will have to part ways for even a little while after everything that just happened.

"Just for a day or two," he says reassuringly, giving my hands a slight squeeze. "Just long enough to make sure that everything's ok there too. I promise."

"You make a lot of promises, Link," I say, frowning.

"But don't I always try to keep them?" he asks with a gentle smile as he kisses me on the cheek.

"Most of the time you _do _keep them," I laugh, letting him hold onto me tighter as we lie together in the courtyard, watching the sunset. The soft green grass sprawls underneath us like a comfortable bed as birds flitter across the orange skies above us, the splendor of this reborn springtime covering us both. I sigh though, when I remember just how much this rebirth had cost us. "I'm sorry," I say thoughtfully. "I… I guess I'm still worried about you, even if I have no reason to be. Bad habit I guess."

"Actually, I think that's a good thing," he says with a soft smile. "We both know that I don't always put myself first, so maybe it'd be better if someone else does it for me."

My smile returns, but there's a certain sadness to it, since I know that's true. His first concern is always either for me or the welfare of everyone else around him instead of himself. And it was because of that relentless selflessness that he had been completely willing to give up everything he was just to ensure that our world would not be destroyed. "You sacrificed too much, you know," I say, though my tone is not admonishing. "I was so terrified that I would never have you back…"

"Zelda," he says firmly, gripping my hand tighter. "We don't have to talk about this."

I take in a deep breath, remembering the unspoken agreement that the two of us seemed to have made over the course of the past week. To not speak of all of the horror that we've had to endure, the horror I'm still enduring in my nightmares every night. The fear of losing each other, fear that drove us both to extremes that nearly destroyed us both. And even though it's all over now and it's in the past, I know that it's still not behind us. "I feel like we need to," I close my eyes for a moment, before looking into his light blue eyes and finding something that I'm still not used to seeing in them: fear. However, unlike the last few times I saw it, this time, it is not a fear of what could possibly happen in the future. It is a fear of facing what happened in the past. And it helps me realize that for the first time since all of this ended, perhaps we're both still facing the same fear that won't go away no matter how hard we try to chase it out of our lives.

"Link," I whisper, placing my head against his shoulder as he laces his fingers through the short ends of my hair. "I think that you should know better than anyone that sometimes the past needs to be reckoned with…"

He is silent for a long time and I understand why. While it's true that both of us have been through much, it's obvious that he had to endure so much more than I did. According to the goddesses, his spirit was completely _destroyed_ and he basically ceased to exist. I'm sure that's not something someone recovers from easily, even if that someone is the legendary Hero of Time. But after a while, he finally sighs and gives in. "There's a lot we haven't told each other yet…" he says hesitantly.

I raise an eyebrow, but I don't contest this, since I haven't poured my heart out to him about everything either. "Then let's tell each other everything," I say with resolve. "That's the only way we can ever let it all go."

My heart sinks as I feel his hand slip out of mine. He sits up and I follow suit, since we both know that this isn't the sort of conversation that can be held peacefully lying in each other's arms. So instead, we move to sit beside each other on the steps of the platform, taking solace in the fact that we are completely alone and no one else will be able to hear our dark stories of war and heartbreak. Neither of us speaks for what seems like ages, and when I glance over at him, I notice something, shame I think, showing on his expression as he sits with his eyes closed and his head lowered. What could he possibly be ashamed of though? He saved us all and the entire kingdom hails him as a great hero. But then again, maybe that's why he doesn't want to talk about any of this. He doesn't want to face the terror still raging on inside of him, just like it is in me.

And so, I volunteer to go first, hoping that I can find a way to place all that I have seen into words without breaking down. "When… when I first woke up to see that you had put the Fierce Deity's Mask on and that Veran had you under her control, I… I thought it was all over…" I say quietly, training my glance on the ground at my feet. "I thought that were would be no way for us to win, that Hyrule was doomed and that you…" I trail off, already fighting back tears. I pace myself for a moment and continue on slowly, trying to numb the pain the past brings with it. "But… then I remembered what you had said, about trying to go on for the sake of Hyrule and everyone in it and I knew I couldn't give up… But then, Veran… She commanded you to kill me and… and I…" My next breath comes in the form of a tight sob and he's quick to take my hands and hold them securely in his, though he doesn't meet eye contact with me. "I almost shot you…" I whisper guilty, remembering what it had felt like to have my bow aimed at the only man I've ever loved, the hero who had given himself up to save me. I cringe as I hear the Sorceress of Shadow's cold accusations that I didn't care for him echoing in my mind. In truth, I did it because I had panicked and in my own desperation to stay alive, I had raised my bow towards him without thinking. But thankfully, I didn't have to fire it. "But then…" I continue, looking straight ahead to collect my racing thoughts. "You just… broke free from her control somehow… And… we beat her… together… But…" I stop as I remember what happened in the aftermath of Veran's defeat however. My mind takes me away from the serenity of our courtyard and I find myself standing in the hallowed, darkened chambers of the Temple of Time, the ground beneath my feet soiled in blood that belongs to both of us, left behind from the battle waged there mere moments ago. I stand before my hero, who does not move at all, no matter how much I cry out to him, no matter how many tears stream down my face, no matter how much I beg for him to return to me. As I wrap my arms around his tall, unfamiliar form, I start to realize that he's never going to come back to me. I have lost him forever, and with him, I have also lost my only love, my heart, my reason to keep living. And I scream in grief as my sanity starts to tear itself to shreds, the last of all of the things I have lost and will never get back.

I open my eyes to find that they are wet with tears. I no longer stand within the world of my memories, but instead I rest in his arms as he holds me close and tight, my face buried in his chest so I can feel the racing of his own heart. He clings onto me with desperation and for several long minutes, he does not let me go, though I don't want him to. When he finally does release me, he still does not glance towards me, but rather keeps his gaze locked on the ground and says nothing as I continue. The rest of my story is less heart-wrenching, and so I'm able to finish it easier. For the first time, I detail to him my meeting with the goddesses, though I leave out the specifics of their differing, somewhat conflicting personalities for now, knowing we can laugh about that when we're both less tense. I simplify the history of Hyrule and Termina that they told me, briefly mentioning Hylia and her hero of the past and the Hero of Twilight who's supposed to arrive in the future. I end in a place that fills me with warmth: our reunion, and I look over at him expectantly, but he still says nothing for several minutes.

"If you don't want to talk about it, I understand…" I say softly, placing my arm around him.

He sighs and shakes his head, finally looking towards me. "No," he says, his voice soft but tense. "You told me what happened to you, so it's only fair that I do the same. It's like you said: the past needs to be reckoned with." As he speaks however, his sky blue eyes are not as bright as they normally are, looking distant and dim as he's no doubt reliving the horror of the past in his mind, just as I was a moment ago. "I thought Veran had killed you," he begins morosely, starting with what happened after the sorceress had fatally wounded me. "And I had never been more miserable in my entire life. I couldn't bear to even think that you were gone forever. I felt… I felt like there was nothing left for me to fight for… And so… I did the only thing left for me to do…"

I can tell that he's starting to struggle, but unlike me, he doesn't break down and cry. "You… put the mask on?" I finish for him gently and he simply nods, averting my eye contact once more as he closes his eyes in guilt.

"I was weak and foolish," he says with the slightest edge of frustration in his voice. "I didn't put it on to use it to stop Veran. I did it to escape from my own pain. That's why she was able to take control of me."

"But you broke free and defeated her," I say encouragingly as I take his hand. "That was anything but weak if you ask me."

"I was only able to do that because I thought of you," he says, looking me in the eyes once more. This time, I see no fear in them, but rather determination and courage, two things I have always been used to seeing in them. "I realized that even if you were gone, you still would have wanted me to fight on for Hyrule no matter what. And so, I did."

"And I can't thank you enough for that," I smile as he slowly draws me into a brief kiss. He continues on with his tale, telling me how void everything had felt once his spirit had been completely destroyed and then recounting to me how he met with the goddess Hylia, my ancestor, only through my wish on the Triforce. He then explains that upon finding himself with the ancient goddess, he had lost all of his memories, only for her to restore them all to him, much to both of our fortunes. I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like if he didn't know who I was or forgot that he loves me, something that I can't live without. After restoring his memories, Hylia told him that the Spirit of the Hero and the spirit of the Fierce Deity would exist together until the distant future, when the next hero, the Hero of Twilight I presume, will take on its power to hopefully save Hyrule from darkness once more. I can tell that he's not exactly explaining everything, which is fine with me, since I haven't told him everything about my meeting with Din, Nayru and Farore either. He also brings his tale to a close at our reunion, telling me how overjoyed he was to simply hold me in his arms once more. My heart flutters with love for him as I let him take me into his arms now and hold me close.

"Promise that you'll never let go again," I whisper contentedly, closing my eyes and relishing the comfort his presence brings me.

"I promise," he whispers in my ear as he kisses my cheek lightly. We stay in an easy silence for quite some time, leaving the horror behind us for now to embrace this peaceful moment and all it has to offer us.

"I can't wait until we're finally married," I say with a wide smile, turning my thoughts to the bright future ahead of us. I glance at the beautiful ring that he just gave me about an hour or so ago, shining in the sunlight as it rests on my finger.

"Neither can I…" he says warmly as he gently caresses my face. I place my small hand over his strong one and keep it there for a while, soaking in his loving touch and holding onto it for as long as I can. He uses his other hand to take one of my still-long side locks of hair, running his fingers through it easily. "You know, I think you look even cuter with short hair," he says flirtatiously and I giggle, rolling my eyes at him.

"I'm still getting used to it," I say, placing my hand on my neck and feeling nothing but air there instead of the long blonde hair that used to be there before Veran unnecessarily severed it. "But I think I could make it work… Especially since the goddesses said it's going to be like this forever."

"It is?" he asks in slight confusion. "You mean it's never going to grow back? Why not?"

I frown, remembering that I forgot to explain this to him. "They said that it's supposed to serve as a reminder of everything we've been through," I say as I reach out and run a finger over the lone lock of silver white hair left among his blonde bangs. "So is this, I think."

He sighs as he softly takes my hand and lowers it away from his hair, closing his eyes for a brief moment. I glance down, knowing that this has become something of a sore subject for him. When most people see my shortened hair, they'll either ask or assume what happened without bringing it up, mostly because I don't really view it as that much of a big deal myself. But that one lock of white hair not only reminds him that he almost lost himself forever, but it also raises so many more questions to pretty much anyone he encounters, questions that he's simply not ready to answer yet. Every time we've walked through Castle Town together over the past week, I've caught sight of people glancing at him with either curiosity or wariness because of it. It is a mark that casts him out of the norm and into a group in which I'm the only other part of, and it is a stigma that he will carry with him for the rest of his life.

"Link," I say with sincerity as I rest my head against his shoulder. "You know that no matter what, I could never stop loving you, right?"

"I know…" he says quietly. "And I could never stop loving you. It just… I don't want to be reminded of what almost happened… Sometimes I wish I could just forget it all…"

"Well, maybe in time, we could help each other forget…" I say softly as I look into his handsome eyes and find the same hurt that I have reflected in my own. "We only really have each other in this… but, it's finally all over now…"

"I think we both know that it will never really be over…" he says with a hint of despondency in his tone.

I frown, thinking that he must be referring to what the goddesses had said, about how this entire catastrophe is destined to repeat itself again in the future. "Well at least it's over for us…" I say comfortingly, giving him a brief kiss on the cheek.

He sighs though, and shakes his head. "That's not what I mean," he says, glancing up to the skies above where the light of day is starting to fade into night.

I almost question him on what he does mean, but then it hits me. "Do… do you have nightmares too?" I ask hesitantly, finding it hard to imagine seeing him wake up in the middle of the night screaming from reliving the terror of the past, just as I do every night.

"Every night," he says quietly as he closes his eyes and lowers his head. "And most of them are about losing you…"

I glance down sadly, feeling empathy for him because most of my own nightmares are about having to live my life without him. I almost tear up thinking about them now, because I know that, above all else, I need him. I need his strength, his courage, his kindness. I need him to hold me securely in his arms and keep me safe from both internal and external harm. I need him to tell me that I am loved and worth loving, and that he will always be by my side. I need his love.

"Link," I whisper with slight desperation. "Please… stay with me tonight…"

I pick up on his hesitation in answering, for we both know that this could get us both in trouble despite the fact that we're engaged. If the people were to find out that the princess and her hero were sleeping together before they were even married, I'm sure the royal council would turn it into an all-out riot. They already gave me enough grief when I invited him to move into the castle and gave him a room right next to mine. But I don't care what they or anyone else has to say. I crave his presence more than anything else, and I'm willing to go through any amount of trouble to have it.

He finally relents and wraps his strong arms around me, giving me a small, comforting smile. "Of course, Zelda," he says reassuringly. "I'll say with you. I promise."

"Thank you…" I say contentedly, satisfied that I'll have him with me tonight to protect me from the horror of the past. Neither of us says anything else as we draw each other into a passionate kiss, clinging onto each other for as long as possible and dreading the moment that we'll have to let go.

That night, I sleep wrapped in my hero's arms, warm and secure and loved, and I don't have a single nightmare. We both rest together through the entire night for the first time in weeks, and when we wake up, we make an unspoken promise to each other to do this again every night for the rest of our lives. We both have war still raging on inside of us and most likely, it will never truly go away. But as long as we have each other, we'll survive.

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**Awww... Fluff! I haven't written pure fluff like this since... I can't remember when! sigh... Oh well, I guess that's it for now. please REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Until next time!**


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